'Friend of Obama's political campaign' could be the next FCC director

Here’s the count: 37 Democratic senators have signed a letter asking President Obama to appoint Jessica Rosenworcel to direct the Federal Communications Commission; she is currently the commissioner of the federal agency. But money, rather than gender, may talk louder.

“The current front-runner, according to a number of sources, is Tom Wheeler, the managing director of a venture capital fund based in Washington,” says Russ Choma, an analyst with the Center for Responsive Politics.

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He points out that Mr. Wheeler was the former president of the National Cable Television Association and a lobbyist for the Cellular Telecom and Internet Association.

“He’s also a friend of Obama’s political campaigns,” Mr. Choma adds.

“In 2012, he gave the maximum of $5,000 to the Obama campaign, but more significantly, he tapped his personal and professional networks to convince others to give to the campaign, ‘bundling’ at least $500,000 in donations. In 2008, he was also a bundler, pulling together a more modest figure somewhere between $200,000 and $500,000, and according to Center for Responsive Politics research, gave the maximum $33,100 to the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee.”